25 years Dutch Food Industry

This year, we are celebrating 25 years of Dutch Food Industry magazine.
I still fondly remember when it all began: January 1993, in the garage behind Klaas Dijkstra's house. We called it VLEESwetenschap (Meat Science). It was a publication filled with meat facts: from applied research in meat science to reporting on technological and technical developments in meat processing.
Back then, submissions to the journal were still be sent by fax and typed out again (by me). These were then sent to the head editor (who had no fax machine). We would get them back covered in red pen marks and changes. Advertisements were pictures taken that were sent to the printer by courier. With the small team we had at the time, we were only equipped to release the journal every two months.

Two years later, we changed the name to Vleesindustrie (Meat Industry) and five years later, changed it again to the current Dutch Food Industry. Luckily, we since arrived in the digital age. Processing time is shorter and communications with editors, clients, and designers all run much faster. It is almost difficult to imagine how we did it in the beginning. 

On 3 June 1993, we started our second project: the network of Ondernemers Sociëteit Vleessector (OSV - Society of Meat Sector Entrepreneurs). I still have the first letter, which I sent by post myself. We sent out a cotton pad with seeds, so that we could sow the network together and harvest it later. It worked! We started with 30 members and have now grown to 300. The name has changed since then, too. The network extended its reach to the entire food industry and became the Ondernemers Sociëteit Voedingsindustrie (Society of Dutch Food Industry Entrepreneurs). Our network consists of people who have more than earned their stripes in the food industry.

The synergy between Dutch Food Industry and the OSV is the foundation for the success of both activities. We receive tips from the network for topics that are currently relevant and which we are eager to address as editors. The topics that we map out in the magazine are often delved into further in workshops/mini-conferences for OSV members. 

When I took over the business four years ago, a lot was invested into editing and photography. The common thread throughout my company is "The Exchange of Knowledge". With help from the best journalists and professional photographers, we take pleasure in yielding stories that vary from "good to know" to "need to know". Current events and scientific research intersect: we discuss everything here. This crossover is natural: the newsletter is now released every week and online traffic has experienced explosive growth. My goal was to ensure that the reach of the Dutch Food Industry journal doubled, but it has, in fact, quadrupled. 

We are more than happy to keep at it, too. Today, I can proudly say, because of intensive contact with the market and because of all of you:
Thank you for the past 25 years and cheers to the next 25!

Saskia Stender